388Pye. Pray turn the key.

389Skir. Turn the key I pray?

390Cap. Who should those be, I almost know their voices?

391O my friends! Entring.

392Y'are welcome to a smelling Room here? you newly

393took leave of the air, is't not a strange savour?

394Pie. As all Prison's have smells of sundry wretches;

395Who though departed, leave their sents behind 'em,

396By Gold Captain, I am sincerely sorry for thee.

397Cap. By my troth, George, I thank thee; but, pish--

398what must be, must be.

399Skir. Captain, what do you lie in for? is't great?

400what's your offence?

401Cap. Faith, my offence is ordinary,--common, a

402High-way, and I fear me my penalty will be ordinary

403and common too, a Halter.

404Pye. Nay, prophesie not so ill, it shall go hard

405But I'le shift for thy life.

406Cap. Whether I live or dye, thou'rt an honest George.

407I'le tell you---Silver flow'd not with me, as it had done,

408(for now the tide runs to Bawds and Flatterers) I had a

409start out, and by chance set upon a fat Steward, thinking

410his Purse had been as pursie as his body; and the slave

411had about him but the poor purchase of ten groats: not-

412withstanding being descryed, pursued, and taken, I know

413the Law is so grim, in respect of many desperate, unset-

414led Souldiers, that I fear me I shall dance after their pipe

415for't.

416Skir. I am twice sorry for you, Captain; first, that

417your purchase was so small, and now that your danger is

418so great.

419Cap. Push, the worst is but death,---ha you a pipe of

420Tobacco about you?

421Skir. I think I have thereabouts about me!

423Cap. Here's a clean Gentlman too, to receive.

424Pye. Well, I must cast about some happy slight:

425Work brain, that ever did'st thy Master right.

426Cor. Keeper, let the key be turn'd.

428Nic. I, I, pray master Keeper give's a cast of your office.

429Cap. How now? more visitants?--what, Corporal Oath?

430Pye. Skir. Corporal.

431Cor. In prison, honest Captain? this must not be.

432Nic. How do you, Captain Kinsman?

433Cap. Good Coxcomb, what makes that pure,--starcht

434fool here?

435Nic. You see, Kinsman, I am somewhat bold to call

436in, and see how you do; I heard you were safe enough,

437and I was very glad on't, that it was no worse.

438Cap. This is a double torture now,---this fool by th'

439book doth vex me more then my imprisonment. What

440meant you, Corporal, to hook him hither?

441Cor. Who, he? he shall relieve thee, and supply thee,

442I'le make him do't.

443Cap. Fie, what vain breath you spend:

444He supply? I'le sooner expect mercy from a Usurer when

445my Bond's forfeited, sooner kindnesse from a Lawyer

446when my money's spent: nay, sooner charity from the

447Devil, then good from a Puritan. I'le look for relief from

448him, when Lucifer is restor'd to his bloud, and in Hea-

449ven again.

450Nic. I warrant my Kinsman's talking of me, for my

451left ear burns most tyrannically.

452Pye. Captain Idle? what's he there? he looks like a

453Monkey upward, and a Crane downward.

454Cap. Pshaw; a foolish cousin of mine: I must thank

455God for him.

456Pye. Why the better subject to work a scape upon;

457thou shalt e'en change cloathes with him, and leave him

458here, and so---

459Cap Push, I publisht him e'en now to my Corporal,

460he will be damn'd ere he do me so much good; why I

461know a more proper, a more handsome device then that,

462if the slave would be sociable,---now goodman Fleer-

463face?

464Nic. Oh, my Cousin begins to speak to me now, I

465shall be acquainted with him again, I hope.

466Skir. Look! what ridiculous Raptures take hold of his

467wrinckles.

468Pye. Then what say you to this device, a happy one,

469Captain?

470Cap. Speak low, George; Prison Rats have wider

471eares then those in Malt-lofts.

472Nic. Cousin, if it lay in my power, as they say--to--do-

473Cap. 'Twould do me an exceeding pleasure indeed,

474that; nere talk forder on't, the fool will be hang'd ere

475he do't.

476Cor. Pax, I'le thump'im to't.

477Pye. Why do but try the Fopster, and break it to

478him bluntly.

479Cap. And so my disgrace will dwell in his Jawes, & the

480Slave slaver out our purpose to his Master, for would I

481were but as sure on't, as I am sure he will deny to do't.

482Nic. I would be heartily glad, Cousin, if any of my

483friendships, as they say, might--stand, ah--

484Pye. Why, you see he offers his friendship foolishly to

485you already.

486Cap. I, that's the hell on't, I would he would offer it

487wisely.

488Nic. Verily, and indeed-la, Cousin--

489Cap.I have took note of thy fleers a good while, if

490thou art minded to do me good? as thou gap'st upon me

491comfortably, and giv'st me charitable faces; which indeed

492is but a fashion in you all that are Puritans, wilt soon at

493night steal me thy Master's Chain?

494Nic.Oh, I shall sowne!

495Pye. Corporal, he starts already!

496Cap. I know it to be worth three hundred Crowns,

497and with the half of that, I can buy my life at a Bro-

498kers, at second hand, which now lies in pawn to the

499Law, if this thou refuse to do, being

easie and nothing

500dangerous, in that thou art held in good opinion of thy

501Master; why 'tis a palpable Argument thou hold'st my

502life at no price, and these thy broken and unjoynted

503offers, are but only created in thy lip, now born, and

504now buried, foolish breath only: what, woult do't? shall I

505look for happinesse in thy answer?

506Nich. Steal my Master's Chain quoth he? no, it shall

507nere be said, that Nicholas Saint Tantlings committed

508Bird-lime!

509Cap. Nay, I told you as much, did I not? though he

510be a Puritan, yet he will be a true man.

511Nic. Why Cousin, you know 'tis written, Thou shalt

512not steal.

513Cap. Why, and fool, thou shalt love thy Neighbour,

514and help him in extremities.

515Nic. Mass I think it be indeed; in what Chapter's

516that, Cousin?

517Capt. Why in the first of Charity, the second verse.

518Nic. The first of Charity, quath a, that's a good

519jest, there no such Chapter in my book!

520Cap. No, I know twas torn out of thy Book, and that

521makes so little in thy heart.

522Pye. Come, let me tell you, y'are too unkind a Kins-

523man ifaith; the Captain loving you so dearly, I, like the

524Pomwater of his eye, & you to be so uncomfortable, fie, fie.

525Nic. Pray do not wish me to be hang'd, any thing else

526that I can do; had it been to rob, I would ha don't, but I

527must not Steal, that's the word, the literal, Thou shalt

528not steal; and would you wish me to steal then?

529Pye. No faith, that were too much, to speak truth;

530why wilt thou Nim it from him?

531Nic. That I will.

532Pye. Why enough, Bully; he will be content with that,

533or he shall ha none; let me alone with him now, Cap-

534tain, I ha dealt with your Kinsman in a corner; a good,

535--kind-natur'd fellow, me thinks: go to, you shall not

536have all your own asking, you shall bate somewhat on't,

537he is not contented absolutely, as you would say, to steal

538the Chain from him, but to do you a pleasure, he will nim

539it from him.

540Nic. I, that I will, Cousin.

541Cap. Well, seeing he will do no more, as far as I see,

542I must be contented with that.

543Cor. Here's no notable gullery?

544Pye. Nay, I'le come nearer to you, Gentleman, because

545we'll have only but a help and a mirth on't, the Knight

546shall not lose his Chain neither, but be only laid out of

547the way some one or two dayes.

548Nic. I, that would be good indeed, Kinsman.

549Pye. For I have a farder reach, to profit us better, by

550the missing on't only, then if we had it out-right, as my

551discourse shall make it known to you;--when thou hast

552the Chain, do but convey it out at a back-door into the

553Garden, and there hang it close in the Rosemary banck,

554but for a small season; and by that harmlesse device, I

555know how to wind Captain Idle out of prison, the Knight

556thy Master shall get his pardon, and release him, and he

557satisfie thy Master with his own Chain, and wondrous

558thanks on both hands.

559Nic. That were rare indeed la, pray let me know how.

560Pye. Nay, 'tis very necessary thou should'st know,

561because thou must be employ'd as an Actor?

562Nic. An Actor? O no, that's a Player? and our Par-

563son rails against Players mightily I can tell you, because

564they brought him drunk upo'th'Stage once,--as he will be

565horribly drunk.

566Cor. Mass I cannot blame him then, poor Church-spout.

567Pye. Why as an Intermedler then?

568Nic. I, that, that.

569Pye. Give me audience then; when the old Knight thy

570Master has rag'd his fill for the loss of the Chain, tell him

571thou hast a Kinsman in prison, of such exquisite Art, that

572the Devil himself is French Lackey to him, and runs

573bare-headed by his horse-----belly (when he has

574one:) whom he will cause, with most Irish dexteri-

575ty to fetch his Chain, though 'twere hid under a mine

576of Sea-coal, and ne're make Spade or Pick-axe his

577instruments; tell him but this, with farder instructions

578thou shalt receive from me, and thou show'st thy self a

579Kinsman indeed.

580Cor. A dainty Bully.

581Skir. An honest--Book-keeper.

582Cap. And my three times thrice honey-Cousin.

583Nic. Nay, grace of God I'le rob him on't suddenly,

584and hang it in the Rosemary banck, but I bear that mind,

585Cousin, I would not Steal any thing, me thinks, for mine

586own Father.

587Skir. He bears a good mind in that, Captain.

588Py. Why well said, he begins to be an honest fellow, faith.

589Cor. In troth he does.

590Nic. You see, Cousin, I am willing to do you any kind-

592Captain. Why I thank thee, fare thee well, I shall re-

593quite it..

594Cor. 'Twill be good for thee, Captain, that thou hast

595such an egregious Asse to thy Cousin.

596Cap. I, is not that a fine fool, Corporal?

597But George, thou talk'st of Art and Conjuring,

598How shall that be?

599Pyb. Puh, be't not in your care,

600Leave that to me and my directions;

601Well, Captain, doubt not thy delivery now,

602E'en with the vantage, man, to gain by Prison,

603As my thoughts prompt me: hold on brain and plot,

604I aim at many cunning far events,

605All which I doubt not to hit at length,

606I'le to the Widow with a quaint assault,

607Captain be merry.

608Cap. Who I? Kerry merry Buffe-Jerkin.

609Pye. Oh, I am happy in more slights, and one will

610knit strong in another, --Corporal Oath.

611Cor. Hoh Bully!

612Pye. And thou, old Peter Skirmish, I have a necessary

613task for you both.

614Skir. Lay't upon George Pye-bord.

615Corp. What e're it be, we'll manage it.

616Pye. I would have you two maintain a quarrell before

617the Lady Widdowes door, and draw your Swords ith'edge

618of the Evening: clash a little, clash, clash.

619Corp. Fuh.

620Let us alone to make our Blades ring noon,

621Though it be after supper.

622Pye. I know you can;

623And out of that false fire, I doubt not but to raise strange

624belief--and, Captain, to countenance my device the bet-

625ter, and grace my words to the Widow, I have a good

626plain Sattin Sute, that I had of a young Reveller tother

627night, for words pass not regarded now a dayes, unless they

628come from a good suit of cloathes, which the Fates and my

629wits have bestowed upon me. Well, Captain Idle, if I

630did not highly love thee, I would ne're be seen within

631twelve score of a prison, for I protest at this instant, I

632walk in great danger of small debts; I owe money to se-

633verall Hostesses, and you know such Jills will quickly be

634upon a mans Jack.

635Capt. True, George?

636Pye. Fare thee well, Captain. Come Corporall and

637Ancient, thou shalt hear more newes next time we greet

638thee.

639Corp. More newes? I, by yon Bear at Bridge-Foot in

641Capt. Enough: my friends farewell,

642This prison shewes as if Ghosts did part in Hell.